The federal government is moving forward with the process to potentially classify the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 port expansion in Metro Vancouver as a project of national interest. The publication of a notice in the Canada Gazette on Aug. 29 initiates a 30-day consultation period to consider listing the port expansion as a national interest project under the Building Canada Act.
This designation allows projects deemed to be in the national interest to undergo an expedited approval process, including environmental assessments. The Liberal government, in its announcement regarding the potential listing of both the terminal and the Mackenzie Valley Highway project in the Northwest Territories, highlighted the potential benefits of these projects in strengthening Canada’s transportation and trade networks to support the country’s long-term economic sovereignty.
Despite these potential benefits, environmental organizations express concerns that expediting the approval process for the port expansion could result in bypassing critical environmental protections. The Roberts Bank Terminal 2 (RBT2) port expansion project, spearheaded by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, aims to construct a three-berth container terminal to boost the port’s capacity by nearly 50% and create an estimated $100 billion in annual trade capacity.
The federal government granted approval for the project in 2023, subjecting it to 370 legally binding conditions to address environmental issues. Additionally, British Columbia issued an environmental assessment certificate in the same year, which included 16 supplementary conditions. Both levels of government acknowledged the likelihood of significant adverse environmental impacts from the project but deemed them justified in the circumstances.
The RBT2 project is currently in the process of obtaining final environmental permits, including approval from Fisheries and Oceans Canada regarding compliance with the Species at Risk Act (SARA). If granted national-interest status, the project could potentially receive an exemption from SARA regulations.
In a recent announcement, Prime Minister Mark Carney disclosed $10 billion in federal support for the expansion project as part of a broader agreement with British Columbia. The proposed expansion is planned for the Fraser River estuary, a critical ecosystem that environmentalists argue plays a vital role in the survival of numerous endangered species.
Julia Levin, associate director of national climate at Environmental Defence, emphasized the significance of the estuary as a breeding ground for over a hundred at-risk species and expressed concerns about the potential impact of the mega port expansion on this biodiverse ecosystem. Last year, a lawsuit filed by environmental groups challenging the project’s potential harm to vital chinook salmon habitat and southern resident killer whales was dismissed by a Federal Court judge.
Southern resident killer whales, a species under the Species at Risk Act with only 75 remaining individuals, rely on chinook salmon as a primary food source. However, habitat loss due to development and infrastructure has significantly reduced salmon populations in the area. In response to environmental apprehensions, the port authority plans to restore habitat in collaboration with First Nations to support key species like juvenile Chinook salmon and Dungeness crab.
Moreover, the port authority is implementing measures to protect southern resident killer whales, such as requiring ships to participate in programs that reduce underwater noise. The British Columbia Environmental Assessment office emphasized the importance of monitoring the project for compliance with provincial requirements once construction commences.
Efforts to safeguard whales and their habitats include a federal proposal of $258 million over five years, with specific allocations for protecting southern resident killer whales. Despite these initiatives, environmental groups caution that expediting projects like the port expansion could prioritize development over environmental conservation, potentially endangering species like the southern resident killer whales.
Levin and other environmental advocates criticize the government’s push to fast-track projects as a means of circumventing environmental safeguards and species protections. Proposed changes to environmental regulations, including the Species at Risk Act, could streamline approval processes for major projects at the expense of environmental considerations.
Scientists and experts warn that potential amendments to the Species at Risk Act could undermine the protection it offers to endangered species. Calls have been made to reevaluate these proposed changes to ensure that environmental safeguards and species protections are not compromised in the pursuit of expedited project approvals.